I am still at Kalaloch Campground in Olympic National Park. ONP is an unusual park because it does not have a main road into a central section. Instead, 101 circles around the park and you can enter via several roads. Each access road leads to something completely different. For example, the Hoh Rain Forest is off one road, and we stayed there last week It is amazing – not just the forest, but the wide, gravelly Hoh River. ONP also has several beach sections, detached from the rest of the park, including Kalaloch where I have been staying.
Today was a dreary, rainy day, something not uncommon around here. I definitely left the rain shadow where Sequim sits and entered the wet coastal lands. Mt. Olympus, not far from here, gets over 200 inches of rain per year. So, really, I have been lucky to have had only one rainy day in over a week.
Anyway, I decided to restart my rainy day tradition while traveling: head to town, eat lunch, and hang out in the library. I had a long list of things I wanted to look up at the library so was happy to have the excuse to sit inside for a while. What’s really funny: the Forks library where I am is part of my county library system. I can use my card to check out materials if I want! I really have not gone too far. The Kaloch Campground is in the next county, but I doubled back about 35 miles to Forks. I found a fabulous library, not surprising since the others in Clallam County are also amazing.
Yes, this is the Forks made famous in the Twilight movies, about vampires. They were quite the cultural phenom, which makes them worth seeing. If you have not, you must see at least the first one. It is set in Forks and along the nearby coast. You will get a feel for the beauty in this area if nothing else.
The most important issue to deal with at the library: the touchpad device on my laptop. It was malfunctioning terribly. Whenever I tried to type the cursor jumped around and the right click menu appeared even before I right-clicked. It was awful, and I gave up typing anything. I tried to switch to my little Chromebook but the return key was malfunctioning. Urrrrgggggg. Well, I did some online sleuthing via the library Wi-Fi and actually found the drivers for my HP laptop at the HP web site. They downloaded a utility that could determine the details about my computer and then directed me to the newest version of my Touchpad driver! Voila. Easy download, easy fix. I have been regretting buying an HP because of the malfunctioning Touchpad but am now impressed by the great support. I didn’t even talk to anyone!
I had lunch at a local burger joint. It was just okay. Outside as I was leaving I met a guy who is also traveling. He is starting on the west coast (also Kalaloch a few days ago) and tent-camping all the way to Virginia Beach. He is really proud of going coast-to-coast. Sounds like a great plan; in fact, it really helps when you have a specific goal in my like that. It keeps the trip interesting. We chatted for a while then wished each other “happy travels.” Meeting fellow travelers is always a wonderful experience.
Otherwise, Tango and I fill the days by beach walking. Every. Single. Day. It is awesome. We visit tidepools and clamber over huge driftwood logs. Tango runs his little heart out and then falls in beside me. There is some regular hiking around here too, but dogs are not allowed on the trails in the forest (ONP). I have enjoyed being out and about before Memorial Day triggers the more crowded summer travel months. Shoulder seasons (Apr/May, Sept/Oct) have long been my favorite months for travel in National Parks and other popular destinations.
It has been a peaceful week on the coast but we start moving again tomorrow. More news from our next stop!
